Gazette Critter Calendar available

Proceeds aid local animal shelter groups

December 4, 2012

HOUGHTON - The 2013 Daily Mining Gazette Copper Country Critter Calendars are available for purchase.

"This is our second year doing the calendar and last year it was a tremendous success," said Daily Mining Gazette Advertising Manager Yvonne Robillard. "This year's calendar turned out very well and people are looking forward to seeing it."

The 2013 calendars, which feature the 13 winning pets, are available at the Gazette for $4.99.

Article Photos

Ashley Curtis/Daily Mining GazetteBuddy is the featured pet for March 2013 in the Copper Country Critter Calendar produced by The Daily Mining Gazette. Some of the proceeds gleaned from customer voting aided local animal shelter and rescue groups.

"Our readers voted on which pets would be featured in the calendar, so the top 13 vote-getters are featured inside and the rest of the pets that were submitted are featured on the back page," Robillard said.

Pet owners wishing to enter their pet in the contest submitted $10 along with a photo for the voting that took place throughout October and November.

"We then ran these (pictures) in The Daily Mining Gazette numerous times," Robillard said. "Our readers sent in votes for 25 cents each."

The Copper Country Humane Society, Keweenaw Spay-Neuter Assistance Group, Because of Mandy and Ontonagon County Animal Protection split a portion of the proceeds from the contest and voting to be used by their organization.

"We are very grateful and it's a great help to the organization," said Dawn Verberkmoes, K-SNAG board member.

K-SNAG plans to use the donation to cover animal veterinary bills, including spaying, neutering and checkups.

"It's difficult for us in the wintertime to earn money, so it came at a wonderful time because winters can be very hard to get through because of our inability to hold garage sales where we make a lot of our money," Verberkmoes said.

Also grateful for the support, OCAP Vice President Janet Wolfe said the donation will be used to keep the animals healthy.

"We are so grateful to get that money and so surprised," Wolfe said. "We're operating on donations and fundraisers until our millage kicks in and this donation is extremely important to our operation in keeping our animals fed and healthy."

Calendars became available on Friday and already sales have been successful.

"This is something we do and are looking forward to continuing," Robillard said. "It's thanks to our readers that the organizations receive the donations."